CVE-2026-43291

NFC communication failure via full-structure length checks

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Improper packet validation in the Linux Kernel allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt communication with NCI NFC chips. The NCI notification handlers in net/nfc/nci/ntf.c compare variable-length packets against full structure sizes and reject valid shorter packets instead of validating each length-bearing field. NFC proximity and an active NCI path are required; rejected discovery, activation, or credit notifications make affected chips unusable.

CVSS severity8.3
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper packet validation in the Linux Kernel allows physically proximate attackers to interrupt communication with NCI NFC chips. The NCI notification handlers in net/nfc/nci/ntf.c compare variable-length packets against full structure sizes and reject valid shorter packets instead of validating each length-bearing field. NFC proximity and an active NCI path are required; rejected discovery, activation, or credit notifications make affected chips unusable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43291
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-908, T1499
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0ba68bea1e356f466ad29449938bea12f5f3711f <ad058a4317db7fdb3f09caa6ed536d24a62ce6a0
  2. Affected versionversion=6.18
  3. Affected versionversion=74837bca0748763a77f77db47a0bdbe63b347628 <3b91160e9a91b5a2662875417dc42dc5b0bf03ea
  4. Affected versionversion=8fcc7315a10a84264e55bb65ede10f0af20a983f <a24a8a582da4426b2042e510a1080df84083b51d
  5. Affected versionversion=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <498fc5d0d650c77e87fcc73808d4f43240c21805
  6. Affected versionversion=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <571dcbeb8e635182bb825ae758399831805693c2
  7. Affected versionversion=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <c692db813a7e3b7c3c17d6e9a3ad2a018bf1142b
  8. Affected versionversion=bfdda0123dde406dbff62e7e9136037e97998a15 <f5218426f765eee22e178df9c126d974792fb6a5
  9. Affected versionversion=c395d1e548cc68e84584ffa2e3ca9796a78bf7b9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=0ba68bea1e356f466ad29449938bea12f5f3711f <ad058a4317db7fdb3f09caa6ed536d24a62ce6a0; version=6.18; version=74837bca0748763a77f77db47a0bdbe63b347628 <3b91160e9a91b5a2662875417dc42dc5b0bf03ea; version=8fcc7315a10a84264e55bb65ede10f0af20a983f <a24a8a582da4426b2042e510a1080df84083b51d; version=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <498fc5d0d650c77e87fcc73808d4f43240c21805; version=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <571dcbeb8e635182bb825ae758399831805693c2; version=9c328f54741bd5465ca1dc717c84c04242fac2e1 <c692db813a7e3b7c3c17d6e9a3ad2a018bf1142b; version=bfdda0123dde406dbff62e7e9136037e97998a15 <f5218426f765eee22e178df9c126d974792fb6a5; version=c395d1e548cc68e84584ffa2e3ca9796a78bf7b9

Published CVSS scores

8.3LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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